


the walls come tumblin' down

by sunkelles



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe- Dark, Dark Rey, Dubious Relationships, F/M, Force Sensitive Finn, Imperial AU, Imperial Rey, M/M, Power Imbalance, Sith Rey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-18 03:56:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21921373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunkelles/pseuds/sunkelles
Summary: Rey Palpatine is the granddaughter of the emperor. When her parents decide she should take a companion, she won't have anyone but a certain stormtrooper. However, when Finn meets Poe Dameron, it seems that the Imperial Princess might finally not get something that she wants.
Relationships: Finn/Rey (Star Wars), Poe Dameron/Finn
Comments: 7
Kudos: 68





	the walls come tumblin' down

**Author's Note:**

> this isn't really my best work? i just had the insatiable idea of "imperial raised rey" after seeing the newest movie and i just kind of went with it. 
> 
> i don't think that there's anything inherently dark about rey, but the more that i thought about a child with her force power raised as the imperial princess, the less i could imagine it turning out well.
> 
> also kind of an inversion of the reylo bond thing from the movies? i really hated that aspect and apparently my need to criticize it but absolute refusal to touch it with a ten foot pole manifested in this fic. 
> 
> the title comes from "crumblin' down" by john mellencamp.

When Rey turns eight, her parents realize that allowing a child to grow up completely isolated from her peers is likely not the greatest decision. While technically, Rey does not have any peers, she will have to eventually interact with others only slightly below her. 

Dignitaries, high ranking military officials, royals- Rey will eventually be corralling all of these groups as Empress. And on top of this, she will need advisers, friends, and eventually even a consort. 

While it has always been safest to isolate her, her parents decide that might not be the greatest strategy moving forward. One day, after her lessons, the Imperial Prince and his Consort arrange a playdate with the son of the ruler of Pantora. Rey uses the force to pin the boy to the wall within five minutes of meeting him and tells her parents that he was a “jerk”.

They try a daughter of a dignitary, who Rey force tricks into not speaking for an hour and a half because the girl annoyed her. They introduce her all of the students her age at the premiere imperial academy and Rey screeches every single one of them out of the room. They try a different academy, and a different academy, and a different academy. Every single one of them yields the same result. They are finally exhausted by the whole ordeal. 

Her father calls up an old friend from the academy, a man named Brendol Hux. They travel to the man’s “school” for stormtroopers, and her father tries to get her to befriend the man’s son, Armitage. Rey sticks him to the wall within five seconds of meeting him. However, her little eyes light up a moment later. 

“Father,” she says, “I feel something.” Her father isn’t force-sensitive (much to the Emperor’s irritation) but he knows when his daughter is picking up on something important. He orders Brendol to guide them through the facility until they finally find a room full of young stormtrooper cadets. 

“I need to go in,” Rey says, pointing to the door. 

“Your highness,” Brendol Hux says, “there’s nothing in there but stormtrooper cadets, surely they’re of no interest to you.” Rey shakes her head violently. 

“I need in,” she says, pointing at the door again. Brendol sends her father a look that says _please, be reasonable_. He shakes his head. 

“Let her in,” he says. Brendol sighs, but he opens the door. The light floods into the room, and the little stormtrooper boys all jump out of their beds, saluting quickly. 

Rey nearly runs across the room to get to him- the one that feels like _home._ She wraps her arms around one of the smallest boys, one with close-cropped wiry hair and dark brown skin. 

“You’re the one that I’ve been waiting for,” she says. He stiffens in her arms. 

“I’m the what?” he asks. 

“You’re my other half,” she says, and she speeds up nervously as she keeps talking, “I felt you. I was _meant_ to find you.” He stands there, perfectly still. She can feel his chest moving in and moving out. She releases him from his hug, instead grabbing his hand and holding it tightly. 

She looks deep into his dark brown eyes. 

“What’s your name?” she asks. 

“My designation is FN-2187,” he says. The name comes to her like a divine revelation, maybe because it’s just a set fact of the universe- or maybe because it’s the will of the force. 

“You can be Finn,” she says, and he smiles a little at that. At the joy of finally having a _name._

“And my name is Rey Palpatine,” she says, “I’m the Imperial Princess.” His eyes widen then, and he shakes his head frantically, trying to free his hand from her grip. 

“Your highness,” he says, “I am so sorry, I’m not worthy-” She holds his hand even tighter then. 

“No,” she tells him, “you _are_ worthy. You’re mine.” He’s able to stop shaking his head, and allows her to hold his hand in hers. He looks at her cautiously instead. 

“I want him,” Rey tells her father. Finn stands there, stiff as a board. The more terrified he is the more his stormtrooper training kicks in to protect him. 

“Alright, sweetheart,” her father says, “then you can have him.” Rey grins widely. The little stormtrooper just looks frightened. 

He looks less frightened when they get him settled into a room in the palace, and less frightened when he finds out that his only job is entertaining the Princess. He gets his own rooms in their wing of the palace, his own clothes, even his own _toys._

Rey brings her little stormtrooper everywhere. To play board games and holovids, but she eventually takes him to where she does her lightsaber training. 

She makes him watch for a few sessions before she decides that he should learn and spar beside her. 

“But I’m just a stormtrooper,” he says, “I can’t use a lightsaber.” 

“No.” she says, “you’re my companion, and if I ever get attacked, shouldn’t you be able to defend me?” He looks contemplative for a moment, but then nods his head. He agrees to spar with her. Sparring turns to teaching, and then Finn becomes a proficient duelist. 

One day, when Rey knocks his lightsaber out of his hand, he even _brings it back._

“You’re force sensitive too!” Rey exclaims. 

“Wait,” he says, looking over at the lightsaber that has just flown into his hand, “what?” 

“You can use the force!” she squeals, “I knew it! That’s why I could feel you!” He looks floored. 

“I’m special?” he asks softly. 

“Of course you’re special,” she says, “you’re my other half.” He smiles softly. 

“And now you can be my sith apprentice,” she says. They work for a while before it catches the attention of her grandfather, but when it does catch his attention, it catches it _hard._

He demands the presence of her father, Rey, and _Finn._ He hasn’t demanded the attendance of both Rey and her father in his solar for months- especially not with Finn. 

“Rey,” her father says, “this is not good. Your grandfather wants to meet your stormtrooper.” Rey looks up from her holobook. 

“What’s the problem with that?” she asks. 

“That means that he doesn’t approve,” her father says slowly, “things are never good when your grandfather doesn’t approve of something.” Sure, whole planets have been blown up because her grandfather didn’t approve of something, but that’s never affected _her._ She’s his little darling sith- the future of both his legacies. He wouldn’t hurt her or someone that she’s claimed. That would be stupid. 

“We’ll be fine,” Rey says. Her father sighs. 

“Alright,” he says, “but make sure that your stormtrooper is ready in three hours. Make him wear his best clothes. I don’t want my father to think that we didn’t make him look presentable.” With that, her father sends her to gather Finn. 

“We have a meeting with the Emperor,” Rey declares. Finn looks like she just told him he was scheduled for execution. 

“He’s my grandfather,” Rey says, rolling her eyes, “he’s not going to hurt you.” 

“Why _wouldn’t_ he?” Finn asks, a little frantic, “I’m just a stormtrooper-” 

“How many times do I have to tell you that you’re not just a stormtrooper. You’re my companion. I care about you, so that makes you invincible.” She smiles. 

“I _am_ the Princess, after all.” Finn bites his lip. Rey rolls her eyes and shoves his grabs him firmly by the hand. 

“You’re fine, Finn.” He takes a deep breath and tries to calm down. 

“Whatever you say, Rey.” Then, she drags him out of his chambers to meet her father. Then, the three of them make their way over to grandfather’s throne room. He’s already sitting on it by the time that they arrive, just as he always is. 

“Hello father,” her own father says. 

“Hello grandfather!” Her grandfather spares a rare smile for her, showing his crooked, yellow teeth. She thinks that look is endearing on him. 

“Granddaughter,” the Emperor says, his voice cracking, “how you’ve grown.” 

“I have!” she says proudly, “it’s been three cycles since you last called for me.” 

“And in these last few cycles you’ve acquired a,” her grandfather gestures vaguely in Finn;s direction, “a- what are you calling him?” 

“He’s my companion,” she says proudly. Finn stands stormtrooper-stiff behind her. 

“Ah yes,” grandfather says, “and that’s why he’s every bit as force sensitive as you are.” Rey frowns. 

“Why shouldn’t he be as powerful as me?” she asks. Rey knows that she’s powerful, but Finn will always be on her side. Why should it matter if he’s _more_ powerful. She’s the Princess, after all. 

“That boy has the power to tear down mountains,” her grandfather growls “I can feel it. That boy will bring the Empire tumbling down.” 

“Finn would never do anything to hurt me,” Rey says, glancing back at Finn. He is trembling where he stands and she can hear his breathing speeding up. 

“Tell him,” she urges, but Finn can only shake his head desperately. 

“The boy lies with his every breath,” the Emperor says, “the moment you turn your back, his blade will be lodged inside of it. You must kill him- now.” Rey almost doesn’t believe her ears. 

“Kill him?” she demands. 

“Are you deaf, girl?” the Emperor says, “kill him. That’s the only way to destroy the threat before he becomes one.” Rey glares daggers at him, for the first time daring to defy her Emperor Grandfather. 

“No!” she shouts. She glances back at Finn, and he doesn’t look comforted by this statement at all. 

“You won’t kill him?” the Emperor asks. Rey shakes her head furiously, her little braid flipping so quickly that it hurts when it hits her on her arms. 

“If you won’t kill him, then I will,” he says, his voice crackling like lighting. Rey glances back to Finn, and she can see that he’s crying now, tears streaming down his eyes like a waterfall. 

“Rey?” Finn whimpers. She feels anger build within her belly. How dare her grandfather make Finn sob like this? The Emperor holds out his hand, and the lighting starts to crackle in his palm. 

“No!” Rey shouts, throwing her hand forward. The lighting from the Emperor’s hand suddenly stops. The Emperor’s red eyes go wide in surprise. 

“You dare defy me?” he demands. Rey stands up straighter and holds out her hand, closing it shut the same way that she’s seen him do to choke people. She focuses as hard as she can, and she sees him bring his hand up to his throat. 

“I’ll kill you,” he gasps, and he throws his hand forward, the beginnings of lighting wisping on his fingers- 

Then, a gunshot. Emperor Palpatine lies dead beside his throne, a burning hole in the side of his head. Her father holsters his blaster and then lets out a sigh. 

“I was so worried that he would hurt you,” he says. Teardrops start to fall from Rey’s eyes, and she runs up to jump into her father’s arms. He holds her, tightly, and the world slots into place. He is the Emperor and she is now the Imperial Princess. 

After the Emperor dies, Finn is no longer scared for his life. That doesn’t mean that he’s no longer scared. 

The terror that Finn will feel in the coming years will be more of a constant, insidious type. It’s the type that you get used to, like the threat of punishment for speaking out- or the fear of being made fun of for being too kind to the other stormtroopers. 

It’s the type of terror that you think that you can stomach- until you can’t. 

  
  


  
She holds on tight to keep him from running away, fingernails digging in deeper, and deeper, and deeper. He tells himself that it’s fine. It’s better than being a stormtrooper, after all. He’s prized here, and well. Rey is the Imperial Princess. It’s not like there was ever any getting out of this.   
  


Years pass, bonds grow, and Rey and Finn become stronger and stronger living in the palace, until one day the Emperor decides that they need to move. 

“One day, you will be Empress” her father says, “you’ll need to be able to deal with people who aren’t your parents or your stormtrooper.” 

“People who aren’t my parents or my stormtrooper don’t matter,” Rey tells him. 

“You’ll learn, Rey,” her father says, “and if you don’t.” He shakes his head, a look of fondness on his face. 

“Well, the whole empire will fall. But that will be _your_ problem.” Rey tries to protest further, but the matter had already been set. Rey and Finn were shipped off for the most prestigious of imperial academies within the week- with deep threats of what will happen if Rey maims any of the school staff. 

  
  


Rey’s chambers are smaller at the school than they were at the palace. They’re in a completely different wing than Finn’s. Even when she tries to throw a fit about it, the school administration just laugh. 

“I’m the Imperial Princess!” she threatens. The staff just shake their heads, laughing. 

“Your father told us not to fear your threats,” she says, grinning. Rey holds out her hand and squeezes, and the woman starts to choke. Rey is the one grinning now. _Not so tough anymore, are you?_ She thinks. 

“Remember what your father said?” the woman chokes out. Rey glares, but releases her hold on the woman. She grabs Finn’s hand and drags him into the communal living area. She sits down on the couch, clutching Finn’s hand so tightly that he knows to sit down beside her. She doesn’t say anything, but he can feel the waves of rage coming off of her. 

“I’ll be okay, Rey,” he tells her. 

“But you won’t be here with me,” she says. 

“I’ll be just a few floors away,” he says. Rey glares. 

“That’s not good enough,” she says, and she clutches his hand tighter. Finn knows that nothing he says will calm her at this point, and simply allows her to hold his hand. 

“We won’t even be in the same classes,” she laments, “when will I see you!” Finn sits there and lets her talk herself out, rubbing gentle circles on her hand when she finally loosens her grip. 

When other children walk through the doors to the common area, he gestures wildly with his head for them to _get out._

They get the message, and Finn and Rey are undisturbed until two staff members come to kick them out and escort them to their rooms. 

Where Rey got teacher’s chambers, Finn is sharing a dorm room. His new roommate is a boy named Poe Dameron.

“What’s your name?” Poe asks. 

“Finn,” he says. Poe smiles widely. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Finn,” he says. They stay up talking long into the night, Poe telling Finn about his dreams of being a pilot. Poe asks about his past. Finn is hesitant to tell, but he decides that it’s not like things will stay secret in a school this side. 

“I used to be a stormtrooper,” he says.

“Ah,” Poe says, and Finn can’t quite read the look on his face, “the Princess’s companion?” 

“Yeah,” Finn says. 

“You don’t sound too thrilled about it?” Poe asks. Finn shakes his head. 

“It’s not that, it’s just-” 

“I don’t know,” Finn admits. Poe nods. 

“There’s a lot that I don’t know, too,” he says. 

  
  
  


As the days go by, Finn spends as much time as he can manage with Poe. They have the same class schedule, and even when Rey demands his time after school, he will eventually go back to his room to sleep. Then, they’ll stay up for hours, talking long into the night just to get everything said. 

One day after school, Poe wanders into the communal area where Finn and Rey are spending their time. 

“That’s your roommate?” Rey demands. Poe hears her, and he walks over to greet her. 

“You must be the Princess Rey,” he says, “I’m Poe Dameron, Finn’s roommate.” 

“Yes, I’m aware,” Rey says, her voice dripping with poison. 

“I don’t know very much about you, though,” Poe says, smile growing wider, “Finn hasn’t spoken of you much.”

"Oh,” Rey says, digging her fingernails into his hand, “you haven’t?” 

“I don’t want to give away your secrets,” he says, which seems to be the right answer. Rey smiles, and her grip loosens. 

“And I know all of yours, Dameron,” she coos, “who do you think the favorite is here, really?” Poe doesn’t even flinch, and he smiles as wide as he can. 

“It was nice to meet you, Your Majesty,” he says, then his eyes land on Finn, “and I’ll see you tonight.” Finn smiles softly, and then Poe makes his way out of the room that Rey has claimed for the two of them. 

“I don’t like him,” Rey says. 

“You don’t like anyone,” Finn points out gently.  
  
“No,” Rey says, readjusting on the couch to lie against Finn, “I like you.” 

  
  
  
  


It's well past midnight, when all the other students have gone to sleep. Finn and Poe are still deep in conversation, though. the way that they always are.

“Do you agree with the Empire?” Poe asks him. 

“What kind of a question is that?” Finn asks. No one’s ever cared if he “agreed” with the Empire before; that was just a given. 

“They stole you from your parents, made you be a soldier,” Poe says, “then they gave you to her. Don’t you think there might be something wrong here?” Finn has lived this life. Of course he knows that he’s been treated poorly. 

"It doesn't matter," Finn says, "there's nothing that anyone can do." If Darth Vader's betrayal couldn't put a dent in the Empire, what hope could anyone else have? 

“Maybe we should do something,” Poe says, gently. 

"It would be too dangerous," Finn says, but he doesn't stop Poe when he starts talking about the way that his ideal world would look. He talks about freedom and safety, children left with families to grow up to become the people they _choose_ to be. People who aren't afraid of the government killing them for speaking out. Poe's eyes light up as he speaks about his dream, and Finn thinks that he can almost see it. He thinks that he wants it too.   
  
  


Poe starts talking about reforms the Empire could make during class. It comes across as some sort of subversive patriotism, a young cadet who wants to make improvements, but Finn knows the truth. Poe wants to take the Empire down, and he’s going to do it someday, too. Even after the failures of the last Rebellion, Poe wants to build another in its ashes. 

There’s something brave about the determination in that- something admirable. 

  
  
  
Finn still spends his free time with Rey, despite the fact that he wants to spend it with Poe. She notices the distance that he's put between the two of them. 

“He’s a bad influence on you,” Rey says. 

“Poe has a vision,” Finn says. 

“A wrong one,” Rey mutters. 

"He wants to make the Empire better," Finn says, "isn't that a good thing?" He doesn't mention that "making it better" means "burning it to the ground". He knows that wouldn't go over well. 

"The Empire is mine," Rey says, "and it will be yours one day. You should keep that in mind." Finn has known for years that Rey's plan was to eventually make him consort, taking over rule of the Empire, but the idea of the Empire being partially his still unsettles his stomach. 

"What if I don't want it?" he asks. 

“See," Rey says, "he's corrupting you." Finn should stop talking. It's never worth arguing with Rey. She has a set idea of how she thinks that things should be, and she's willing to hurt people when they won't fall into line. He should just stop, but something makes him keep going. Maybe it's seeing Poe speak up about his ideals in class in ways that could have gotten him expelled (or tortured). Maybe it's Poe himself, making him want to be brave. 

"Maybe he's improving me," Finn says. Rey's glare simmers, and he can see the fires of Mustafar blazing in her eyes. 

"Stop talking to him," she orders. 

“Can’t I talk to other people?” Finn asks. 

“You don’t just talk to him,” Rey says, “you live with him.” She frowns, and he can see the idea forming in her mind. 

"Rey, don't," he says- but he feels her decision in the force before she even says it. 

“I’m going to ask the headmistress to move you,” she says. 

“Rey, you can’t. He’s my _friend_ ,” Finn says.

“I don’t want you to be around him,” Rey says. 

“But Rey-” 

“I am the _Princess_ ,” she says, “if I don’t want you to room with him anymore, then you won’t. This is not a discussion.” Finn doesn’t bother to respond this time. He knows that nothing that he says will change her mind. She will force him and Poe to stop rooming together, 

“Thank you for understanding,” she says. Finn doesn’t say anything. Rey doesn’t care. 

  
  
  


Rey talks to the headmistress, and she says that he has until the next afternoon to get his stuff moved into the empty dorm room two floors up in the same wing. Poe is _pissed._

“She can't just make me move out of this room," Poe seethes, "just because she- she doesn't want you to have anyone but her." 

“She’s the Princess,” Finn explains. Being the Princess means that she can do whatever she wants. 

“She shouldn’t be able to do this,” Poe says. 

“But she can,” Finn whispers. 

“This,” Poe says, quiet anger spilling into his tone, “this is what’s wrong with the Empire. It gives all the power to these cruel people.” Finn’s never thought of Rey as cruel. 

“She saved me,” Finn says. 

“Her family created the system that was hurting you,” Poe says, “do you think that counts?” Finn’s not entirely sure. Rey’s grandfather built the Empire. He formed the stormtrooper program. Rey eventually stood up to her grandfather to save Finn, but that doesn’t mean all of those other stormtrooper children were suddenly free. All the rest of his classmates are still toiling away, probably old enough to start dying for the cause now. 

“I don’t know,” Finn says. 

“They’re destroying whole planets, Finn,” Poe says, “everyone who doesn’t agree with them. Bam: dead!” Finn hears the implication there. Poe: dead! It sends a shiver down his back. 

“You’re right,” Finn whispers, and he feels tears prickling at his eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” Poe says, and Poe grabs his hand. He holds it, softly. So softly that it doesn’t even hurt. Finn didn’t think someone could hold a hand that softly. 

“There’s just- there’s so much wrong with this world,” Poe says, “if angry, selfish people keep getting to dictate the way it goes… Nothing’s ever going to get any better.” Finn sends a terrified look his way. 

“What are you saying?” he asks. 

“I’m not staying. If Rey’s making me move out of this room, then I’m leaving for good,” Poe says, “you can come, if you want. I’d love to have you.” Finn feels the dread curl up in his stomach. He dreads the idea of leaving with Poe, of whatever consequences that might bring, but he knows that it’s a dread that he can live with. A dread that he _wants_ to live with. 

“I’m coming with you,” Finn says. He can stomach this terror far better than the more familiar kind. Poe smiles at him. 

“Alright,” Poe says, “let’s give this a try.” 

Finn can no longer stomach the terror that he’s been holding for years- and he and Poe slip out of the school and steal a ship to the stars. Maybe he can help everyone else from the terrors they’ve been living too. After all, he’s force sensitive, half-way to being a Jedi. The Skywalkers couldn’t save them, but Emperor Palpatine was _terrified_ of Finn. 

Maybe there was something to that. Maybe he _could_ bring the Empire tumbling down. 

  
  


And the stormtrooper sith apprentice runs off with the suave pilot to join a dying resistance. 

Princess Rey is informed that when Poe Dameron moved out of the room he shared with Finn, he not only left the school but left with Finn himself. Rey sticks out a hand, and doesn’t even care about how her father will scold her when he finds out about the corpse. The bringer of such negative news shouldn’t be allowed to live. 

Rey stomps down the hallway, trying to beat her anger, trying to figure out how to get Finn back. 

“He will bring down the Empire,” her grandfather’s voice whispers in her mind. Rey shoves the thought to the back of the mind. He won’t bring down the Empire. As long as she gets Poe out of the picture, Finn will come back to his senses. He was always meant to be here, by her side, apprentice and consort. She has always felt his presence in the force- her other half. 

Eventually, he will come back to her. All she has to do is eliminate the competition. If she can bring Poe Dameron tumbling down, then she can get Finn back. She knows it. 

**Author's Note:**

> finn and poe are out there kissing and building a rebellion. good for them


End file.
